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His Name is Cell (憎悪と破壊の生命体!! 奴の名は人造人間セル, Zouo to Hakai no Seimeitai!! Yatsu no Na wa Jinzo Ningen Seru) is the fourth episode of the Imperfect Cell Saga and the one hundred forty-third overall episode in the uncut Dragon Ball Z series. The episode first aired on June 10, 1992. Its original American air date was October 9, 2000.

Summary

Cell about to stab Piccolo with his tail

It starts off with the Ginger Town beast using the Kamehameha attack on Piccolo, the Super Namek. Piccolo is shocked but easily avoids it. When wondering what happened, the monster comes from behind, grabs him, and starts sucking his energy with his tail. At Kami's Lookout, Mr. Popo senses Kami's pain and drops a pot feeling sad for his friend. Meanwhile, Gohan and Chi-Chi watch Goku and Chi-Chi says Goku's getting better. Gohan runs down to tell every one, but they are all staring at the TV, where the military are going to attack the monster. Then, Future Trunks and Krillin are heading out to help Piccolo and wonder what the monster is. Meanwhile, the army opens fire on the beast, who easily destroys the tanks. Piccolo breaks free from the monster's grasp, but his left arm is all shriveled up.

Cell absorbs Piccolo's energy while the military arrive

Meanwhile, Android 16, Android 17, and Android 18 are riding in a truck, and Android 16 says one of the powers he felt earlier was losing energy. Android 17 gets cocky and says that he was right and no one could be as strong as him. He also says 16's sensors need to be re-calibrated. Then, Piccolo says he gives up and asks for one more thing, to know about this beast and why it is here. The creature agrees and says his name is Cell. He also states he is an Android created by Dr. Gero and comes 24 years from the future. Piccolo ask how because the lab was destroyed. Imperfect Cell replies saying that the computer that created him was under the lab.

He then says that when all these important battles on Earth were going on, Dr. Gero had some micro cell extractors took DNA from Goku, Vegeta, Frieza, King Cold, and Piccolo himself had cells removed. He says he came back to this time when he was made by killing the Future Trunks and taking his ship. He turned himself into larvae and waited for four years until all the power came back. Piccolo ask why he came back here and Imperfect Cell said it was to absorb Android 17 and Android 18 to become complete. Piccolo says thanks and rips off his arm. A new one replaces it and he says he was just stalling to heal and is now ready to fight. The battle prepares to continue...

Trivia

When Cell describes how Dr. Gero gathered cells from Frieza and King Cold, he mentions Frieza's death at the hands of Future Trunks, and even that Dr. Gero had the opportunity to collect cells from Future Trunks but decided not to. However, Future Trunks was never meant to have come to warn the Z Fighters about the androids in Cell's timeline, and it is really Future Goku who killed Future Frieza and Future King Cold, so no decision regarding Future Trunks' cells should have ever been made in Cell's timeline.

In the edited English dub, Cell says that he has taken cells from Nappa and does not mention taking cells from King Cold. However, the footage of King Cold's death is still shown in Cell's flashback.